Upholding Human Rights Abroad Act This bill prohibits, with some exceptions, the Department of Defense (DOD) from providing certain support to forces (e.g., foreign forces or irregular forces) engaged in U.S. special operations if DOD has credible information that the force in question has committed a gross violation of human rights.
Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022 This bill prohibits anyone from interfering with a person's ability to access out-of-state reproductive health care. (Reproductive health care is defined as medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services related to pregnancy, the termination of a pregnancy, contraception services, and other reproductive care.) Specifically, the bill prohibits anyone from restricting, discriminating against, or otherwise disadvantaging anyone who receives, provides, or assists with out-of-state reproductive health care that is legal in the state in which it is provided. The bill allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations. The bill specifically waives any applicable governmental immunity and preempts any contravening state laws.
This resolution designates June 2022 as African-American Music Appreciation Month. Further, the resolution recognizes the contributions of African Americans to the musical heritage of the United States; the wide array of talented and popular African-American musical artists, composers, songwriters, and musicians who are underrecognized for contributions to music; the achievements, talent, and hard work of African-American pioneer artists and the obstacles that those artists overcame to gain recognition; and the need for African-American students to have greater access to, and participation in, music education in schools across the United States. The resolution also recognizes Black History Month and African-American Music Appreciation Month as an important time to celebrate the impact of the African-American musical heritage on the musical heritage of the United States.
This resolution congratulates the Terrapins men's lacrosse team of the University of Maryland, College Park on its 2022 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse national championship victory.
This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Federal Pell Grant program and expresses support for the designation of June 23 as National Pell Grant Day.
Improving Diagnosis in Medicine Act of 2022 This bill requires various activities to improve diagnostic safety and quality in health care. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must convene an expert panel to make recommendations about the data needed to accelerate diagnostic safety and quality research. In convening the panel, HHS must coordinate with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and other HHS components. HHS must also establish an interagency council to develop a strategic plan and recommendations to improve diagnosis in health care. In addition, AHRQ must (1) establish a quality improvement program related to diagnostic errors that includes dissemination of evidence-based strategies to improve diagnostic quality, safety, and health-care value; and (2) seek to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study disparities in diagnostic safety and quality. The bill also allows specified grants provided by AHRQ and by the National Institutes of Health to be used for diagnostic safety and quality research.
Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2022 This bill prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their source of income, veteran status, or military status in the sale or rental of housing and other related real estate transactions and services.
Fairness for Farm Workers Act This bill extends overtime pay protections to agricultural workers. The bill requires employers, beginning in 2023, to compensate agricultural workers for hours worked in excess of their regular hours (i.e., 55 hours in 2023, 50 hours in 2024, 45 hours in 2025, and 40 hours in 2026) at not less than one and one-half times the employee's regular rate. For employers with 25 or fewer employees, the overtime pay requirements begin in 2026. These overtime pay requirements do not apply, as under current law, to employees who are the parent, spouse, child, or other member of the employer's immediate family. The bill also repeals the exemption from overtime pay requirements for employers in various agriculture-related industries, including certain small farms, irrigation projects, sugar processing, and cotton ginning and compressing.
Supply Chain Resiliency Act This bill establishes the Office of Supply Chain Resiliency within the Department of Commerce. The office must identify vulnerabilities in the supply chains for critical products and emerging technologies. It also must provide financial support to manufacturers to expand production of products that are part of supply chains experiencing shortages.
Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2021 This bill establishes a grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development for states and other entities to provide qualifying assistance to certain first-time, first-generation home buyers in purchasing their first homes. Qualifying assistance includes assistance for mortgage down payments, mortgage closing costs, reduction of mortgage interest rates, subsidies for shared equity homes, or for certain preoccupancy modifications to a home to accommodate persons with disabilities. The bill also establishes grant requirements regarding home buyer income, types of housing, homeowner occupancy, types of mortgages, and home buyer counseling.
